


No One But You

by carmensandiego



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2014-12-17
Packaged: 2018-02-28 21:13:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2747300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carmensandiego/pseuds/carmensandiego
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Agent Keen and Agent Ressler work through their complex relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

They were now entering the third hour of surveillance. It was 10:30pm and Keen was in the passenger seat keeping alert and trying not to let any small detail get by her. She couldn’t. This was too important. She had received a tip from Red about Tom’s whereabouts. And ever since that day where she had let Tom walk away from the car and disappear, she had regretted it. She knew it was the decision that had to be made to try to save Fitch. But it was a decision that she had nightmares about ever since. 

It didn’t help that she and Ressler had been a bit distant ever since that day. Keen tried to let Ressler’s words about her still being in love with Tom not affect her. But they did. Maybe because he was right. But even if he was, it hurt her to hear him say it. She felt betrayed by Tom. Her life for the past two years had been a lie. And to know that deep down there was still a smart part of her that loved him was a hard pill to swallow. She felt weak and she didn’t like that Ressler saw it. 

They were both startled when the door to the building suddenly opened. Ressler wanted nothing more than to see Tom walk out and put two bullets in his head. But he had to relax. His emotions were high. Not only because of what Tom had put his partner through. But also because Tom was a dangerous man with ties to very dangerous people. As he watched the door carefully, he saw Tom’s face hidden by a Phillies baseball cap and immediately went on high alert.

“That’s him Ressler. We need to follow him”. 

Before Ressler could even respond, Keen was already out of the car. He followed suit and both agents stayed far enough distance behind Tom not to cause attention. Tom turned down a street known for prostitution and both agents stopped in their tracks. It would be hard for Keen not to be noticed on a street normally frequented by men looking for female companionship. 

“Dammit. I can’t go down there”, Liz quickly realized. “Quick, Ressler, don’t let him leave your sight. Radio me before you make any contact.”

This wasn’t the first time Ressler had been down this street as a federal agent. It was known for back room activity and mob connections.  
Ressler turned the down street and immediately spotted Tom speaking with a woman in a black min-dress and red heels about 50 feet away. Judging by the way she was positioned in front of him, there was no denying the type of business deal she was trying to close. Ressler decided to bend down and tie his shoe to figure out his next move. There was a red-head woman up ahead who he could angle himself between and keep an eye on Tom. The woman’s eyes lit up as Ressler approached her. 

“Damn, it must be my lucky night… What you in the mood for honey?”, the woman said softly. Ressler could hardly find the words to speak back at her. He knew Agent Keen was watching him and he also knew that if he wasn’t a good enough liar, the lady would think he was a cop and possibly start a scene. 

“That all depends on how much you’re trying to take from my pockets.” He instantly regretted saying that as the redhead’s hand was now on his pants coming a little too close to his “pockets”. 

When Ressler saw Tom go inside the building with the woman in the black dress, he told the redhead ‘no thanks’ and headed in that direction. If he went inside the massage parlor, he risked Tom standing right there and spotting him. But it was a risk he had to take.

Ressler came up to the door and pushed it through. Which he immediately knew was the wrong decision when a force that felt like a ton of bricks launched him sideways breaking a glass table. 

“Agent Ressler, didn’t I tell you not to meddle in me and Liz’s business?“, Tom stated while smirking above Agent Ressler’s body on the floor surrounded by broken glass. The smirk on Tom’s face was enough to make Ressler get up and launch himself into Tom’s body punching him repeatedly. Tom wrestled back and knocked Ressler's head into the metal counter in the lobby. He was stunned and instantly fell to the floor. When Ressler finally opened his eyes, he saw the gun in Tom’s hand go off aimed right towards him.


	2. Chapter 2

Agent Keen was pacing in circles when she heard the gunshot. 

“Shit!” she yelled as she took off running into the building she had seen Ressler walk into. When she got there, she found Ressler on the ground with blood everywhere and Tom nowhere in sight. 

“Ressler! Are you okay?”, she screamed bending down and inspecting his body for wounds. 

“I’m ok”, he squirmed letting out small gasps in pain. “We have to get out of here. Now.”

She helped him up and draped him in a cotton blanket she found behind the counter as they walked back to the car hoping not to be noticed. 

“Talk to me Ressler”, Liz pleaded while driving the car. “What the hell happened in there?”

“What the hell do you think happened?”, he snapped back. “He got away.”

Ressler was pissed. He kept trying to get his head around the events that just happened. How the hell did he let Tom get away. The look on Keen’s face when she burst through the door and saw that he was hurt and Tom was nowhere in sight was enough to make him punch through the wall. He let her down. 

“If we can find him once, we’ll find him again”, Liz stated matter of factly trying not to let her emotions show. 

She was upset but not for the reasons Ressler probably thought. When she heard that gunshot come from the alley where Tom and Ressler had been, she panicked. And seeing Ressler on the floor with blood everywhere… She thought she had lost him. 

“I’m just glad you’re okay”, she said softly. Ressler stayed quiet. 

“Let’s go back to my apartment. I have some first aid kits, I can take a look at your wounds”, Keen said hoping he would agree. He looked horrible. 

“No”, Ressler quickly interjected. “I’m fine. Just drop me off at home.”

“You can not step into work tomorrow morning looking like you do now. Plus, there’s no way you’ll be able to clean and treat that bullet graze on your back unless you’ve been studying acrobatics and keeping it from me”, Keen said jokingly. 

“Fine”, he said grimacing with pain. “But take me to my apartment, let’s do it there.”

Ressler had no idea why Tom had only grazed his body with a bullet. He was two feet in front of him with a gun aimed at his head yet Ressler was still alive. He kept trying to think of all the reasons why Tom hadn't killed him.

And none of the reasons were good.


	3. Chapter 3

“Crap”, Ressler said to himself as soon as they got to his apartment door. “I can’t remember what happened to my key. I think I might’ve had it on me when I ran into the building.” 

Keen quickly grabbed her key ring and slipped in the spare key Ressler had given her a few months earlier. She knew it was a big step in their partnership. And it made her smile that he tried to play it off as just being a practical move in case he was ever in trouble and she needed to get inside. 

“It’s fine, Ressler. I’ll call a locksmith right now and get it taken care of”, Keen said while walking behind him into his apartment. 

It had been awhile since she had been here. Even though they had come to trust each other more, their relationship wasn’t exactly close. They confided in each other every now and then. Reached out when some of the hardships of life reached a boiling point. But there was still a force that kept Ressler and Keen from truly trusting each other 100%. And both of them sensed it but never discussed it. 

She watched Ressler walk into his bedroom and decided to search his apartment for any first aid kits. She found two kits in his kitchen cabinets and then quickly searched her phone for an emergency locksmith. 

After a few minutes, Keen went to the bedroom door to tell Ressler the locksmith was on his way when she heard him grimacing in the bathroom. She knocked and walked in only to find him shirtless with a huge open wound on his lower back. 

“God dammit, Ressler”, she said examining his wound. “Let me go get some bandages and alcohol. Why the heck didn’t you let me know the wound was this deep?”

“How was I supposed to know? It’s not like I can see my back, right?”, Ressler smirked.

Keen smiled. At least he had a little humor back in his tone. 

When she returned with the first aid kits, Ressler was sitting on his bed deep in thought.

“I’m sorry, Liz”, he said apologetically. “I had him. I shouldn’t have gone into that building without knowing what I was walking in to. It won’t happen again.”

Keen couldn’t believe that Ressler was actually apologizing for risking his life to help her. When she told him she had been keeping Tom captive for the last 4 months, he was furious. Mostly because he felt she had risked her career to keep a man alive who had lied to her and tried to destroy her life.

But even through Ressler’s anger, he never hesitated to help her. He had even lied to Cooper and the chief about who her informant was. Keen really wanted to ask Ressler why. Maybe one day she would… but first she needed to get his wound cleaned up.

“Shut up, Ressler”, she barked back as she sat on the bed and starting to rub alcohol on the red, oozing gash in his back. “You’re in this situation because of me. Because of my mess.”

“You’re my partner, Liz. It’s my job to protect you.” Keen’s hand stopped moving for a second. 

“I didn’t mean you need protecting. I just mean…”, Ressler stuttered a bit to find the right words. 

“I just don’t want anything bad to go down. And if I can help that happen, I will.” Ressler stopped talking. 

Keen decided not to press it any further and decided to let him in on some news he wasn’t going to like.

“The bullet grazed you too deep, Ressler”, Liz stated. “I have to stitch you up.” Ressler moaned. 

She grabbed some needle and thread from the kit and instructed Ressler to lay face down on his bed. It was then she started to become aware of Ressler’s shirtless body in front of her and how uncomfortable this probably was for the both of them. 

She gently got on top of him and started to work the needle and thread on his wound. This really should’ve been done by a real doctor. But no one in the bureau knew Tom Keen was still alive. And if they found out Keen and Ressler had known and were doing their own survillance, it would be serious trouble. 

Ressler was trying not to move from the pain of the stitches. Instead, his mind started to wander to Keen’s body against him. He didn’t like the feeling it gave him to have her this close. It was dangerous. 

When he felt her get off of him and say she was finished, he exhaled deeply. 

She walked back to the kitchen to dispose of the trash and he watched her take a seat on his couch. 

“Keen, you don’t have to stay”, he told her appreciatively. “I’m fine now. Great to know you’re also an MD. It might come in handy again in the future.”

Keen laughed. “I have a lot more secrets where that came from”, she said teasingly. 

“But I’m staying”, she said. “That wound is still a problem and I need to make sure the stitches hold.”

Ressler knew enough about Keen to know she wasn’t going to change her mind. He went to the fridge, got two beers and sat beside her on the couch.


	4. Chapter 4

Ressler turned the TV on to the hockey game. He knew it would get a groan out of Keen which was partly the reason why he did it. The other part was because he really loved hockey.

She didn’t argue. 

They sat in silence for a while before both of them drifted to sleep on the couch.

Ressler woke up about 45 minutes later. He instantly became aware of his partner’s head lying on his chest. He probably should’ve woken her but something stopped him. He could feel her chest rising and falling with each breath and the smell of her hair took over his senses. 

He moved a bit to get a better position for his back wound when Keen started to stir. He saw her eyes open and immediately have a look of panic once she realized she had drifted asleep laying on his chest.

“Sorry about that, Ressler”, she said while sitting up and moving away from him to the other end of the couch. 

Ressler instantly missed her warmth. “It’s cool, Keen… We're both a bit exhausted from today.”

Keen finally looked him in his eyes and pondered asking him a question she had been wondering for some time.

“Ressler, can I ask you something…”, she said softly. “Why didn’t you tell Cooper about Tom when you had the chance?”

Ressler was startled. Out of all the things he expected to come out of her mouth, this was not on the list. He thought about lying… making up some excuse about not wanting the Bureau involved and screwing up trying to capture him. But he was tired of lying.

“I couldn’t risk losing you”, he said while slowly looking up at her. 

Keen was silent. She stared back at him. Wondering what he meant by ‘losing her’. There was something in his eyes that made her question whether he meant as a partner… as a friend… or as more. 

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. 

“That must be the locksmith”, Ressler said breaking eye contact and getting up slowly to open his door. 

“I should probably get going anyway”, Keen said while jumping up and getting her things. 

“Liz, you don’t have to go…”, Ressler said hoping she wouldn’t catch on to the pleading nature of his voice. 

She looked up at him. “I’ll cover for you with Cooper and check up on you tomorrow. You need another day to recuperate or they’re going to ask you a ton of questions about how you got those injuries. “

Ressler smiled at her and said thanks as she opened the door and walked past the locksmith.

About twenty minutes later, Ressler laid his head on his bed deep in thought wondering if he should’ve just kept his mouth shut.


	5. Chapter 5

It wasn’t lost on Ressler that Keen never brought up what he said that night. It had been almost a month since Red’s last tip on Tom’s whereabouts led Keen and Ressler down that alley. Since then, none of Red’s sources had seen or heard from him. 

Red was keeping the agents busy with other high priority targets, but Liz was growing impatient. It didn’t sit well with her that Tom was still out there. Possibly watching her and Ressler and plotting a move against them before they got to him first.

It was around 11am on a Friday when Director Cooper came into their office with a special assignment. 

“We’ve been alerted by certain sources that the Annual Charity Gala at the White House tonight may have some guests that have been on our radar”, stated Cooper.  


“I need you both in attendance and looking the part.”

“Wait”, interjected Ressler, “this assignment is undercover?”

Keen smirked. “Sir, are we just supposed to keep eyes on them or do we need to distract and take them down at any available opportunity”, Keen asked. 

“Just eyes for now. We want to note who they interact with, who they avoid. I need any valuable information the two of you can pull without being noticed”, said Cooper flatly.

“Time to dust that old tuxedo off, Ressler”, joked Keen. “If I’m bringing you as my date, you better not disappoint.”  
_______________________

Ressler pulled up to Keen’s apartment that evening in a shiny, black Lincoln. Keen and Ressler had to look the part tonight. And that was fancy, rich donors who loved schmoozing with government officials. 

He was just getting out of the car when the lobby door flung open. Out stepped Keen, wearing a dress that Ressler never imagined in his right mind he would see her in. It was black lace and form fitting showing just enough cleavage and thigh to be classy yet sexy. 

“Looking good, Ressler”, she smiled as she walked down her steps to the passenger door. And she wasn’t lying. Keen had never seen Ressler in a tuxedo before and he looked nice. Great even, if she really allowed herself to think about it. 

“You look great, Liz”, he said as he opened the door for her and watched her get in the car. 

They drove up to the Gala and showed their credentials to get inside the building. As soon as they walked in, Keen grabbed Ressler’s arm. 

“We’re a couple, remember Don”, she said as she rubbed his arm. “Acting like Federal Agents isn’t going to help us on this mission.”

“Sorry”, he said softly. 

They continued walking around the room trying to spot any of the faces in the crowd that were on their list from Cooper. So far, they weren’t having any luck.  
It was about an hour later when Keen grabbed an hors d’oeuvres from a passing tray and spotted Target #1. He was dancing in the middle of the floor with an older woman whom she recognized as a State Senator. 

She alerted Ressler of him and wondered aloud why the Senator would be arm in arm with one of the largest dealers of international armory in the US. 

All of a sudden, Keen realized Ressler’s hand was in hers leading her onto the dance floor. He stopped about 20 feet away and slowly grabbed her right hand and put his other around her waist. 

Keen was surprised at how easy dancing came for the both of them. There were no awkward steps, no missed beats. Ressler took the lead and her body did the rest.  
She found herself taking a step closer into him when he asked if she could make out any of what they were saying. 

“No, I can’t”, said Keen. “We’re not close enough.”

That’s when Ressler spun her around and dipped her low on her back moving them closer to the target couple. 

“Nice move, Romeo”, said Keen. “But we’re supposed to be blending in, not auditioning for Dancing with the Stars.”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t like it”, he joked while pulling her in a little closer. 

By now, their bodies were pressed firmly up against one another. Keen tried to focus. Tried not to breathe in the smell of cologne on his neck. She felt his hand move a little lower on her back and it sent a shiver through her spine. She hoped he hadn’t noticed it. But she knew he had… 

Just then the target and Senator walked off the dance floor towards a back hallway. 

“Ressler, they’re on the move”, she whispered in his ear. 

He took her hand and led her down the hallway to follow them. Two double doors greeted them at the end and since that was the only outlet, Keen and Ressler knew they had gone through them.

“Do you trust me, Keen”, he asked.  


“Yes, but what are you planning…”, she asked loudly before he cut her off and led her through the doors.

When they got through the doors, they saw the pair talking heatedly in the corner. Ressler led them close enough to overhear the conversation but not close enough to be seen. 

That’s when he unexpectedly pushed Keen against the wall and grabbed her waist. 

“Keen”, he whispered in her ear, “the only way we can stay here and be inconspicuous is if we act like lovers.”

She knew he was right but she found herself nervous giving in to his fake advances. 

Keen slowly nodded and watched as Ressler closed the distance between them. to She felt his hands grip her waist tighter and start inching dangerously lower on her thigh. She was trying to concentrate on the Senator's conversation but found her thoughts drifting elsewhere. She knew this was a bad idea but she couldn't stop. Her body started to relax in Ressler's embrace, melting from every caress. He dug his head in her neck and she felt him take in a deep breath. She found herself caressing his chest and put her arms around his neck while running her fingers through his hair. 

When she heard him moan, she pulled him closer and felt his hands grip onto her backside. She could feel him now. All of him. And she was having a hard time differentiating reality from fiction. 

When his lips kissed her neck, she threw her head back in acceptance and looked into his eyes. All she saw was desire. And she knew her eyes told the same story.

“Liz”, Ressler pleaded and she knew this was real. 

She also knew he was waiting for her to tell him to stop. Tell him that she didn’t want him as much as she could feel he wanted her. But she couldn’t deny it.

She stared at his lips in anticipation wondering what he tasted like. 

He couldn’t wait any longer and leaned in to kiss her. 

“This is for authorized officals only, what the hell are you two doing in here”, yelled the Senator from across the room. 

And it wasn’t until their lips separated, that they both realized the enormity of what had just happened and that their mission that night was most likely over.


	6. Chapter 6

Silence filled the car ride back.

Ressler had never intended for things to advance that far. He hoped she understood that. He needed her to.  
He thought back to the way her body felt when he touched her... The way she had pulled him closer when his lips grazed her neck... The sharp gasp she let out when he knew she felt him pressing against her...

But the look in her eyes when they were forced apart told him everything. Keen was scared. Scared they had crossed a line that could not be re-drawn. Scared of what came next.

And honestly, he was too.

As they neared closer to her apartment, Ressler struggled to find the right words to say. But it was Keen who was the first to speak.

"It's fine, Ressler. We're fine", she said softly without looking at him.

The car came to a stop outside of her apartment building and Ressler looked at her. She avoided his gaze. 

"We should meet early at the office tomorrow and go over our field notes from tonight", she said flatly. "Make sure they both match regarding what happened."

Ressler wondered if she had truly processed what really did happen. He could already see her mind trying to erase tonight from its memory. She picked up her purse hoping he wouldn't say anything to keep her there any longer. And when he didn't, she reached for the car door. 

"Goodnight, Ressler", she said while quickly escaping. 

Ressler sat in the car cursing himself for not speaking up. He couldn't let tonight end without knowing... Without at least trying. He saw her walk in the lobby door and turned the car off to follow her inside. 

She was still struggling with her keys when he approached her apartment door and spoke. 

"I don't regret it." 

She jumped in surprise and turned to look at him. 

"Do you?", Ressler asked. 

She stared at him. Her eyes begging him not to make her answer his question. But he wouldn't relent.

He walked slowly up to her standing only inches from her face. She could feel the heat. The same heat that took them into unknown territory earlier tonight against that wall.

"No." She said it forcefully. Making him understand that she meant it.

A second went by. Their bodies both tensed, knowing what was coming next. He took her face in his hands and kissed her. Deeply.

Keen could feel his tongue willing her mouth open and soon it was her that was devouring him. His hands picked her legs up, straddling him against her apartment door. She wanted this. Badly. She grinded her hips into him letting him know just how much.

That's when they both heard it. One clap. Two claps. A chuckle.

The agents both turned in the direction of the noise only to see Tom Keen standing by the stairs with a gun pointed in their direction.

"Well Liz.... Looks like I overestimated your committment to our marriage."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it! More to come...


	7. Chapter 7

Keen and Ressler froze. Their bodies still enfolded in one another. Their hearts still pounding from the intensity of a few seconds ago.

Realizing her legs were still wrapped around Ressler's waist, she slowly squirmed to get down. Ressler turned to stand in front of her, shielding Keen between his body and the barrel of Tom's gun.

"Don't do this Tom...", Ressler said in a low tone staring in his eyes. "You're angry, but it's not with Liz... I'm who you want."

Keen's body flinched. She realized what Ressler was doing and she wanted no part of it. She broke from behind him and put her hands up to show Tom she wasn't making a move.

"Tom", she said breathing hard, "Put the gun down and let's talk."

"Liz", Tom said calmly. "You know, throughout all of this, you never asked me. Never wanted to accept the truth that you know deep down." Keen tensed.

"What we had... It wasn't all fake." Tom said to her while taking a few steps in her direction. "Admit it, Liz. I want to hear you admit it."

Keen's mouth trembled. Tom's gun was still aimed at Ressler.

"It's why you couldn't kill me. Why you kept me locked up for all those months and then found a reason to release me." He took a few more steps toward her. "A part of you still loves me." 

Ressler's jaw clenched. He felt the situation escalating and didn't like how close Tom's gun was now pointed at his chest. 

She stared at Tom... Unsure of her next words. 

"It wasn't all fake." She said softly while tears started to fall from her eyes.

Tom smirked. "That a girl, Liz", he said while turning his head and noticing the look of pure hatred on Ressler's face. 

"Looks like you've gone from Prince Charming to a bit of a third wheel in a matter of minutes, Donald." Tom laughed. 

Ressler's fists balled up. 

"You know, I'm thinking I probably should've killed you when I had the chance. ..given the predicament I found you in with my wife." Tom's gaze shifted to Liz. "How about it, Liz? Could you forgive me if I killed your boyfriend/partner?", he laughed while adjusting the gun. 

Ressler took the momentary distraction to lunge towards Tom. He had aimed for knocking the gun to the ground but Tom's grip never let go. They both fell to the floor, their bodies wrestling trying to each get it from the other's hands. Liz pulled her weapon out but watched the struggle not being able to interject for fear of accidentally shooting both of them. 

She gasped when she saw Ressler finally gained control of the weapon and point it at Tom's head. 

"Give me a reason, pal", Ressler shouted, sweat dripping off his face. 

"Ressler, don't!" she yelled.

Ressler looked at her, painfully aware of the pleading in her eyes. She did still love him.

He backed away towards where Keen was standing but kept his weapon aimed on Tom. 

"Liz, there is no scenario that allows me to let him walk away from this. He will kill me... Or you. I won't let that happen." 

"I could never kill you, Liz. Don't believe him", Tom pleaded.

Keen stared at Tom's face. The way he looked at her told her everything she needed to know. 

"You know what, Tom... I believe you." And with that, Elizabeth Keen put a bullet in Tom's head. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Conclusion coming shortly. Hope you're enjoying it so far.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy the conclusion!

It took Ressler a moment to process what he had just witnessed. He stared at Keen. Awaiting the colossal breakdown of when the weight of what she had just done hit her.

But Liz just stood there. Staring at the blood beginning to drip from where Tom's head lay on the floor.

Ressler slowly walked up to her and grabbed a hold of the gun she was still holding and aiming in Tom's direction.

"Liz, get in your apartment. Lock the door." She finally broke her gaze and looked at him. She noticed how soft his eyes were. Almost apologetic.

"No." Keen reached in her purse and pulled out her phone while dialing a number.

"Ms. Kaplan. I need your assistance. ASAP." It was then that Dembe appeared from the stairs, startling both of them.

"Go inside, Ms. Keen. We have it handled."

Ressler hesitated, then nodded. He may not trust Raymond Reddington. But he trusted his commitment to Elizabeth.

Keen began to object but decided against it. She looked at Tom again. Unable to form the words she needed to speak. Instead, she turned and got the key to open her apartment door.

\-----------------------------------------------------------

'Their relationship would never survive this.'

Those were his thoughts as Ressler sat on her couch for the last twenty minutes. Keen had gone into her bedroom and hadn't come out since Dembe had instructed her inside the apartment.

Tom was a liar, a criminal, a killer. But Liz shouldn't have been forced to kill him. It should've been him. He couldn't imagine the pain and contradiction she felt. And Ressler felt responsible.

He also was confused. She could've easily have made one phone call to Red and had his people take care of Tom. But instead, she shot him. Without any hesitation.

The sound of footsteps broke his chain of thought. He looked up as she walked out and was surprised to find him still there.

"I didn't realize you were still here", she said quietly.

"Nowhere else to go at the moment." He tried to look at her but she avoided him. "You ok?"

"I'm ok, Ressler." She gave a light smile. "There are pillows and a blanket in the closet if you need them."

Ressler assumed that was her giving up on trying to talk him out of staying the night at her apartment. He hadn't planned on leaving, anyway. Not with what had just happened.

She headed back to her bedroom and closed the door.

\------------------------------------------------------------

Two hours later, Ressler was still wide awake.  It was 2am and his thoughts about his partner were dancing all through his head. He didn't realize when he had begun to feel affection for Keen. Maybe after he had lost Audrey and she had found out Tom was a fraud. It began innocently enough. Him beginning to care about her whereabouts when they weren't together. The overprotectiveness he felt when they were out in the field and in harms way.

He still couldn't fully process everything he felt for her. And he ached that as quickly as they had begun to sort through it, it might be coming to an end.

He was so deep in thought, he almost didn't see her shadowy figure standing by the couch.

"I couldn't lose you, either." She said almost inaudible.

Ressler sat up. 

"I killed Tom because if I didnt, he would've killed you. And I couldn't.... I can't....", she mumbled to herself standing there looking at the floor.

Ressler stood up now. His face right in front of hers as she closed her eyes, tears falling from her face.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, barely able to live with himself after her confession.

It was then that she looked up at him. her eyes wide, needing him to understand how she felt.

"Please don't be... I'm not."

Liz closed the distance between them now. She touched his face and felt the tear running down his face. She leaned in and kissed him gently, her lips slowly exploring his. He kissed back, still a little unsure of what it all meant.

She broke apart. Took a step back in the dark. It was then that his eyes focused and looked at her in the dark. She was wearing a white tshirt barely covering her panties. Nothing else.

He breathed deeply. "I care about you, Liz."

She stared back at him. Knowing he was looking for reassurance she was in her right state of mind. That she wouldn't regret this in the morning.

"I feel the same", she said in a breathy tone. She walked up close to him. "I want you, Donald..."

Hearing his name on her lips was all the confirmation he needed. He bent down and kissed her hard. Feeling her slight shock at the urgency in his mouth. He led her back to the couch, sitting down while picking her up and placing her on top of him. Her legs straddled him, still not breaking the kiss they both couldn't seem to get enough of.

His hands were all over her. And soon she felt them creeping inside the rim of her shirt and her body tensed as his fingers brushed against her nipples. She moaned, unable to think straight from the sensation. Ressler's hands were all over her breasts now and she accidentally bit his bottom lip. It was then that their kiss broke and he laughed.

"Sorry", she said while brushing her finger against it. She felt him tremble.

His hands began to lift her shirt up over her head until all she was wearing were some thin, lace panties. He took in every inch of her body. 

"You are so beautiful." His mouth found her chest and started kissing and sucking every inch. Liz began to rock her hips back and forth against him. She wanted him. Now.

She unbuttoned his shirt and then found his buckle and started to undo his pants. She could feel him underneath her hands. Throbbing for her touch. 

They both stood up from the couch and she took in his naked body. He was beautiful.

She took his hand and led him back to her bedroom. As she laid down on her bed and looked up at him. She knew this was it. The point of no return. Ressler knew it, too.

"Are you sure?", Ressler asked needing to know for certain. 

Keen smiled and nodded. "Yes."

He gently laid on top of her, kissing her slowly, taking his time. He didn't want to rush this.

His lips caressed her neck, her collarbone. He tasted her breasts again, prolonging the foreplay as long as he could. He felt her hands inching down his chest until suddenly she was caressing his length and his body begin to betray him. He couldn't hold it together much longer. 

Ressler looked up at her. Liz was staring back, her eyes telling him what she wanted next. And then he was inside her. Filling her up completely. She drew in a sharp breath and briefly closed her eyes as he started to thrust slowly. Picking up more speed, more intensity. She was already almost at her breaking point. Their eyes found each other and she softly moaned his name as his thrusts got faster and deeper. She kissed him and clenched her legs around him, pulling him in deeper. And soon, he felt her body start to quiver and his followed immediately after. 

They both laid there. Still entwined. Neither one wanting to break apart. 

And as the high from that moment slowly wore off, they both looked intensely in each other's eyes. Knowing their relationship was changed. Forever. 


End file.
